Police plan ‘e-queue’ for darshan at Sabarimala

The police will introduce a ‘virtual queue' system for darshan at Sabarimala during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season that begins on November 17, P. Chandrashekharan, Additional Director General of Police, has said.

Mr. Chandrashekharan, who is also the chief police co-ordinator at Sabarimala, told The Hindu that pilgrims who register on the Kerala Police website need not wait for hours for the darshan at the Ayyappa shrine during the annual pilgrimage season.

As per the proposed system, pilgrims who register on the website will have to reach the Valiya Nadappanthal at the time allotted to them. They will be permitted to enter the general queue for darshan at the Lower Tirumuttom, bypassing the long queue along the trekking path-Valiya Nadappanthal stretch.

The ADGP said the idea was to provide a smooth darshan to around 1,000 pilgrims every hour at the Ayyappa Temple.

Registration soon

Mr. Chandrashekharan said the system would come into force from the very first day of the pilgrimage season. Pilgrims could register their names online in the next two weeks.

He said the system was part of a pilgrim-friendly crowd management programme of the Kerala Police at Sabarimala.